Why Basin? Everyone plays a part in keeping the lights on

It’s a Wednesday afternoon, and some might say Lexi Hellman appears to be dressed for a job interview. Little would they know, she’s already earned her spot at Basin Electric Headquarters.

Truth be told, Hellman doesn’t even have to be in the building on this particular afternoon. It’s her day off after working a string of her usual night shifts. But that doesn’t stop the service dispatcher from wanting to swing by and describe the co-op environment she’s come to love.

Basin Electric offers a professional setting

“I like that it’s a professional setting,” Hellman says. She says Basin Electric’s hours are good, the pay is exceptional, and the paid vacation the cooperative offers is “the coolest thing ever.”

As Hellman describes her work since joining Basin Electric in March, her warm smile grows.

Hellman and her co-workers sit at the helm of an operations center used to keep the lights on for customers who for years have put faith in Basin Electric for their electricity needs.

Basin Electric, which partly serves as a contracted 24-hours-a-day dispatch service for its member cooperatives, receives calls from consumers and dispatches linemen when needed.

Each employee plays a part in Basin Electric’s goal

Going into her job, Hellman didn’t know she was meant to play such a crucial role at Basin Electric. She now understands that it’s up to everyone in the cooperative to make sure customers receive great service.

“Everybody helps everybody out. Otherwise, it just doesn’t work,” she says, also describing her specific duties. “If somebody gets a power outage, we take the call from the customer, and from there we call our linemen from wherever they are, then we dispatch the linemen to the power outage.”

Hellman is proud to work beside her peers to support Basin Electric’s mission to bring electricity and exceptional service to its customers. Watch the video.

“You helped somebody get their power back on. That’s kind of cool,” she says. “Some people are super appreciative.”

There is a strong safety culture at Basin Electric

The Bismarck, ND, native’s job also involves communicating with linemen directly to keep them safe. It’s an important gig, and she is proud to be part of the Security & Response Services team.

“We all kind of lean on each other,” she says. “It’s a great community.”

The cooperative offers good challenges and opportunities to learn

Hellman says her job offers good challenges that help her learn more about Basin Electric.

“A couple months ago I realized that every single day I come in I learn something new,” she says. “If I don’t know the answers, somebody else does.”

All in all, working alongside the people at Basin Electric makes Hellman proud. She’s thankful they’ll be there to show her the ropes, no matter what.